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‘Tis the season! Cold and flu season. And sometimes, no matter how many precautions you take, you get sick. And you know what? The rest of the world doesn’t stop, even if you’re not feeling well. Which is why you SHOULD.
Rest is an important factor in getting well when you’re fighting illness. (I learned this the hard way this year as my household was hit with the flu.) Rest is also an important factor in life in general. So important, in fact, that God established it into the fabric of creation. When His work was complete, He rested. He took joy in what He had made and established a healthy rhythm for us to follow.
The idea of entering God’s rest reminds us that there’s nothing we can do to earn God’s love. It doesn’t come through hard work. Instead, Jesus did the work on the cross, which means we can rest in His love and accept this incredible gift. Imagine that kind of rest! Being free from the burden of trying to do everything on our own? It’s not the same as “taking a break.” It’s letting go of our attempts at control and instead trusting in the completeness of what God has done.
As someone who loves a good nap, I didn’t think I was resisting rest. But as someone who also likes to know what’s coming and have a plan, I think I may have been carrying some things I wasn’t meant to. How about you? Is it time to stop trying to do everything on your own and instead find peace in God?
Let’s lay down your burdens. Lay down our heads and our hearts in surrender. Believe that the One who made the world (and rested!) is also taking care of you and me.